UAE bans citizens from travel to Iran, Lebanon, Iraq
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The United Arab Emirates on Thursday banned its citizens from traveling to Iran, Lebanon, and Iraq amid escalating regional tensions linked to the war in the Middle East, while urging Emiratis currently in those countries to leave immediately.
In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "In light of the current developments in the region, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announces a ban on travel by UAE citizens to the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Lebanese Republic, and the Republic of Iraq."
The ministry also called on "citizens currently present in these countries to depart swiftly and return to the UAE as soon as possible."
The war in the Middle East erupted following the US-‘Israeli’ attack on Iran on February 28. Tehran responded by launching missile and drone attacks on ‘Israel’ and several Gulf states.
Since then, the UAE has adopted a firmer tone toward the Islamic Republic, while some of its neighbors have appeared more restrained.
On Monday, UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash criticized what he described as the "weak" stance of other Gulf Cooperation Council states toward Iranian attacks on their territories.
The fallout from the regional conflict has also reached Lebanon, where war broke out between ‘Israel’ and Hezbollah on March 2, and Iraq, where US interests have come under attack, particularly by factions aligned with Tehran.
Positions linked to those groups have in turn been targeted in strikes attributed to the United States and ‘Israel’.
